There is an incredible online tool, the U.S. Department of Justice’s National Missing and Unidentified Persons System (NamUs). This online tool allows you to search records of missing persons and unidentified human remains (recovered throughout the country) in an effort to SOLVE CASES. Anyone can search the national database using characteristics such as sex, race, body features and dental information. If you have a missing loved one, MAKE SURE to have their information listed on this FREE database! NamUs has already begun solving cases!

“There are perhaps 40,000 sets of unidentified human remains held by medical examiners and coroners across the country, according to government estimates. A patchwork of record-keeping policies govern the related data.

With that in mind, the Justice Department has created the National Missing and Unidentified Persons System (NamUs), a searchable database of “unidentified decedents,” in hopes of matching remains to missing persons, an estimated 100,000 of which exist in the U.S. at any given time.

The more information in a NamUs profile, the more likely a match can be made. NamUs has created a five-star rating system indicating how much information is in a file, a hint at how likely it might be that the remains can be identified.”

Early in 2009, I submitted my friend, Lily Aramburo (missing from Miami, FL since June 2007) into NamUs. All the information we had on Lily (including pictures of Lily and her tattoo) was entered; except for Lily’s dental records and NCIC number, which we did not have. Lily Aramburo NamUs profile

In February, while searching the database, I got a match for skeletal remains found in Broward County, FL. I got in touch with the Medical Examiner’s Office and they made contact with law enforcement in Miami Dade. Soon they had the two DNAs compared and were able to get a quick turn around time regarding the results. The University of North Texas and the F. B. I. both had mitochondrial DNA profiles already established. Therefore, based on their unidentified decedent’s profile and Lily’s mom’s profile, the labs came to the conclusion that it could not possibly be Lily.

A short time later, I was contacted by Tony, the Regional System Administrator at NamUs. He said his goal was to make Lily’s file as complete as possible to enhance a resolution. He offered to help get Lily’s NCIC number, as well as working on contacting Lily’s dentist. Thanks to Tony we were finally able to acquire Lily’s NCIC number! The National Crime Information Center number for Lucely “Lily” Aramburo is M497579638. (For some reason, law enforcement didn’t want to share it with us.) We are grateful to Tony and the caring staff at NamUs. Everyone has been so willing to go out of their way to help.

Everyone NEEDS TO KNOW about NAMUS.Law Enforcement and Medical Examiner’s need to know about NamUs. Please make sure to help spread the word!